Closing Time
by RemusLupin's Wife
Summary: It's the gangs 7th year at Hogwarts. More action adventure mystery and even romances await them all. Whole story line is already planned out! (OoTP spoliers) Just give the start a go!
1. Default Chapter

Closing Time  
  
Chapter One- 'One last glance'  
  
"I can't believe this is the last year that we'll be coming back here," Harry said sorrowfully to Ron and Hermione while looking around.  
  
Hermione did the same taking in every aspect of their surroundings. The bright red steam engine that was the Hogwarts express started to billow its loud horn, calling them back for one last year. Hermione squinted through the heavy steam issuing from the train.  
  
"I know what you mean mate, it always just seemed like we'd be here forever. You know, in the safety of school and all" Ron said, standing in between the two and giving Harry a quick pat on the back. Ron turned his head toward Hermione, glancing down at her shiny 'head girl' badge pinned to her robes.  
  
Hermione wasn't sure who was head boy, but she could only guess. When the head boy badge hadn't arrived to Ron, there was no doubt in Hermione's mind that she would be sharing a two person common room with one of the foulest people she knew. Harry had tried to tell her otherwise, but she was sure that her only roommate this year would be Draco Malfoy.  
  
"We better get on then" Harry said looking down at the floor and heaving a sigh before stepping onto the train. Ron entered after him and sent a quick wave over to his parents who were just sending Ginny off.  
  
Hermione clambered last and stood in the doorframe, gazing out onto the platform. It had always been a sign of comfort to her, knowing that she would always have this place to come back to. But now it was just depressing her as she forced a smile on and gave one last wave to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George (who had taken a break from their booming joke shop business to accompany them down here), Lupin, and Tonks (who's hair was a flipped out bright orange and eye's were a piercing blue).  
  
"I've got to go boys, but do stay out of trouble won't you?" Hermione said to them once they had reached a free compartment.  
  
"Don't worry Mione. Oh. and have fun with Malfoy" Ron added with a smile and a 'you know I'm joking' look. Hermione looked at Ron crossly as Harry just shrugged and he stuffed a chocolate frog into his mouth.  
  
'At least they're back to normal' Hermione thought as she departed from the compartment. Hermione remembered the summer before their last' it had been horrid. Remus had disappeared (they ended up finding him a room in the Leaky cauldron about a month later), the order (which was being held at the Weasley's house now) was even busier then ever, Percy was trying to beg forgiveness (which they finally gave him), Serverus (who had been visiting more frequently) had been nasty to everyone then usual, and Harry... well he had just been about to kill himself. Harry had been getting continually thinner, sicker, and more to himself and no one could figure out why. Everyone knew he had been upset about Sirius, they all were, but he had been eating on a normal basis, they all saw him (he came to the Weasley's house after a couple weeks into summer). Ginny had finally figured out that he had been throwing up after almost every meal and would sneak out at night to wonder the street. If everyone hadn't been so relived to be able to help him now, Hermione was sure he would have gotten a 'how could you sneak out when Voldemort's on the loose' talks.  
  
Hermione took a quick glance at the mirrors that hung on the big red oak doors at the end of the train that lead to the head students' compartment. She had to admit, she had finally grew into the figure of a real women. But she was still no beauty queen. He hair was more sleek, but with a good amount of bushiness still in it and her eyes were still that of a teenager not wanting to leave the comfort of home. She sighed as she pushed the doors open preparing herself for the worst.  
  
"uugghh!" she heard a voice complain from inside the compartment. She looked up to see Malfoy with his hands in his face and shaking his head.  
  
"Granger" he said bitterly when she sat next to him, as he started to gain some of his usual composure back.  
  
"Look" Hermione started shooting Malfoy an icy look "this isn't exactly my cup of tea either"  
  
"Oh, this isn't even half as bad for you." Malfoy muttered under his breath, snatching for his black book bag he had set by the side of his seat.  
  
Hermione just gritted her teeth together. She just couldn't stand him. He was just about the only thing she wouldn't miss when she left Hogwarts. Hermione buried herself in a book called 'Bewitching the mind, understanding the dark arts of magical control' and didn't pull her face out the whole time, excluding her frequent walks around the train. 


	2. The weirdest one yet

Chapter two- 'the weirdest one yet'  
  
"So... enjoying being head girl?" Harry chanced to ask Hermione once they stepped down from the Hogwarts train.  
  
It was obvious to anyone Hermione wasn't enjoying it. Him asking just annoyed her more. Hermione had been glaring at the floor since she ran out of the compartment once the train came to a halt.  
  
Hermione stopped and raised and eyebrow with crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"What do you think Harry?" she asked  
  
The three of them made their way as usual to the great hall. The sky above was a cloudy gray and it looked just on the edge of a lighting storm. They took a couple seats towards the front of the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Come on! I'm hungry!" Ron said, banging his fist, which already had silver wear in them on the table  
  
"I told you to get something from the trolley" Harry reasoned with him as the first years started to enter.  
  
The first years looked scared as usual. Hermione scanned over them until her eyes landed on a partially small blond one. Hermione squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look. The girl looked so familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.  
  
Professor McGonagall came out the side door carrying the wooden stool and sorting hat. She set it in the front and stepped aside as the sorting hat began to sign its song.  
  
They all listened carefully to it and Hermione realized it didn't mention anything about Voldemort being back. In fact, it only talked about the Hogwarts house and how they got started. 'That's odd' Hermione thought to herself as McGonagall started to sort the first years. Soon enough McGonagall was on 'Lasher, David' who was sorted into Ravenclaw.  
  
"Lovegood, Penny" Professor McGonagall called out. The small blonde girl stepped timidly forward and gulped as she put on the hat, which immediately yelled "Gryffindor"  
  
"That's why she looks so familiar," Hermione hissed to Ron and Harry  
  
"Great! Another one, this'll be just grand" Ron said sarcastically.  
  
Hermione ignored Ron's comment because she figured the hungry was getting to him. She thought the girl looked pretty sane to her, unlike her wacko sister.  
  
Finally McGonagall called 'Yang, Matt' a long black hair kid with black eyes who was sorted into Slytherin.  
  
As Professor Dumbledore stood a moment later, the silence ceased at once. He cleared his throat and began.  
  
"Another years arrived and soon enough this year will pass as well. As you older students glance down at the nervous first years, it's hard to remember when you were like that, isn't it? But first and second years you will be older soon enough and pass through this school as well. Live your life to its extent, because we here are to prepare you for life" Hermione distinctively saw Dumbledore glanced down at Harry when he said that. Ron, who obviously didn't get the point of his speech, let out a sigh that was louder then he intended "And since Mr. Weasley here is just about starving from hungry I won't keep you waiting"  
  
Dumbledore sat down and clapped his hands so the food appeared while Ron looked down bashfully, his ears turning slightly pink.  
  
Once everyone had been feed and Ron was no longer in such an impatient mood, Dumbledore stood once more.  
  
Hermione was just half way spacing out as he gave his usual speech, she was worrying about the horrors she would have to spend with Malfoy this year. But she got knocked from her thoughts and back down to earth when she heard Dumbledore mentioned something that he didn't say every year.  
  
"As you may or may not have noticed we have a new teacher with us this year, her name if Professor Weaver" Dumbledore gestured to a women who stood up next to him just two seats to the left.  
  
It seemed no one else noticed her before too, not just Hermione.  
  
Hermione was looking at the girl with slight suspicion; the women seemed like someone Hermione would've spotted out of a crowd. She had dark, stringy, waist length hair that was contently falling around her still face. Her face was somber and extremely pale; she was almost freighting. Hermione would've been scared senseless if the Women hadn't been at least wearing a kind smile. The thing that scared Hermione the most, was the women's eyes... they were... red. They were the color of blood and even though they were wearing a pleasant look within them, Hermione just couldn't steer her gaze away. She noticed out of the corner she wasn't the only one who thought this woman was quiet strange; Ron and Harry were both wearing identical looks of shock.  
  
Hermione snapped out of her trance when Dumbledore started to clap as everyone had been in too much of a state of shock to put their hands together. Hermione clapped along with a few random unenthusiastic people. 'Well this'll be interesting' Hermione thought to herself once she stood up from the Gryffindor table. 


End file.
